2017 Dance Massive program announced

Dance Massive, a contemporary dance program in Melbourne that showcases the work of both established and up-and-coming choreographers, has just announced its line-up for its 2017 event, to be held 14-26 March 2017.

In the fifth installment of Dance Massive, 12 of the 20 productions are world premieres, to be presented at venues including Arts House, Dancehouse and Malthouse Theatre.

Chunky Move’s ‘Anti-Gravity’. Photo courtesy of Dance Massive.

“It’s a great joy to see this fifth iteration of Dance Massive come to fruition,” said Dancehouse Artistic Director Angela Conquet. “This festival is a testament to the remarkable vibrancy, diversity and resilience of the Australian dance makers. All of the works presented in this edition by Dancehouse — from Martin Hansen, Prue Lang, Sandra Parker, Lilian Steiner, Rhiannon Newton and the József Trefeli Company — are ambitious, uncompromising and extraordinary in what they capture of our contemporary bodies.”

Some highlights are sure to include a new project, Anti-Gravity, from Chunky Move Artistic Director Anouk van Dijk in collaboration with multimedia artist Ho Tzu Nyen; the world premiere of Split, a work by Lucy Guerin Inc. that explores the dimensions of space and time; James Batchelor’s Deepspace, the result of a two-month residency aboard Australia’s marine research vessel Investigator; and 2015 Green Room Award winner Lilian Steiner’s performance of Noise Quartet Meditation.

Also scheduled to perform are 32 of the country’s best street dancers, who will battle it out in Battle Massive, a free outdoor event at Federation Square; hip hop artist Nick Power in Between Tiny Cities; and experimentalist Shian Law in Vanishing Point, a project reflecting his work with choreographers Phillip Adams, Deanne Butterworth and Jo Lloyd. Nicola Gunn will also team up with Lloyd for Piece for Person and Ghetto Blaster, a work that is part dance and part theatre, in Gunn’s signature witty style.

Nick Power’s ‘Between Tiny Cities’. Photo by Thoeun Veassna.

“We are thrilled to be collaborating with Nicola Gunn and Jo Lloyd, and Anouk van Dijk and Ho Tzu Nyen, and presenting their new works as part of Dance Massive V,” said Malthouse Theatre Artistic Director Matthew Lutton. “Both works blur the boundaries of theatre and choreography, and entice us to question our actions in the world surrounding us.”

Arts House Artistic Director Angharad Wynne-Jones added, “Australia’s dance scene continues to thrive with some of the most innovative and inspiring choreography in the world, and the artists featured in the Arts House program are a tremendous showcase of that talent and creativity.”

Dance Massive V promises to be not only a celebration of innovative choreography but also of dance as a communal gathering and audience adventure. Tickets are now on sale.